Outpatient prescription medication treatments are relied upon heavily for increased quality of life and lower lifetime healthcare costs. Medical experts have long held that taking at least 80% of a prescribed drug is required to achieve desired therapeutic outcomes and lower lifetime healthcare costs. For example, a patient who faithfully takes cholesterol-reducing medicine significantly reduces the likelihood of a coronary event that has attendant cost-intensive medical procedures and diminished quality of life. Outpatients strongly desire to avoid such events and hospital stays, yet only 20% of all outpatients take their prescription medicines according to doctor's instructions.
Increased medication adherence, also known as patient adherence, medication compliance, or patient compliance, benefits the healthcare system by vastly reducing patients' lifetime medical costs while increasing their therapeutic outcomes. Further, market research suggests that patients have a desire to comply, but will not take on the burden of any additional actions or otherwise change their behavior.